Three Essential Factors of Chinese Cooking

中国饮食所注重的三个特点

Generally speaking，there are three essential factors by which Chinese cooking is judged，namely“color, aroma¹ and taste”.

一般来说，中国饮食注重三个特点：色，香，味。

“Color” refers to the layout and design of the dishes.

“色”是指菜的布局和设计。

“Aroma” implies not only the smell of the dish，but also the freshness of the materials and the blending of seasonings².

“香”不仅指菜的味道，还包括材料的新鲜与调料的搭配相得益彰。

“Taste” involves proper seasoning³ and fine slicing techniques.

“味”包括合适的调味和精湛的刀工。

These three essential factors are achieved by careful coordination⁴ of a series of delicate activities:selecting ingredients， mixing flavors，timing and cooking，adjustment of the heat, and laying out the food on the plate.

要成功达到这三个特点，需要一系列熟练动作的悉心配合：选择原料，调味，计算时间并进行烹调，调节温度，摆盘。